I see what you're saying, I took the "gives a shit" as sarcastic rather than literal.

That's still a bogus reason for invading, as the US literally controls no part of Ukraine or Ukrainians politics. If Ukraine decides to become a part of NATO that's wholly within their right, it's not the right of Russia to decide the actions of the Ukrainian people.

The existence of a highly aggressive and explicitly anti-Russian military alliance also is a massive threat to Russia that it needs to react to decisively and remorselessly.

I think you should reconsider what you deem as "highly aggressive," since recently NATO forces have only paraded in areas close to where Russian forces have been invading. And Russia is invading a country that isn't even a member of NATO. The annexation of Crimea and subsequent invasion of Ukraine is directly related to the impeachment of the pro-Russian president and the possibility of losing trade/resources. If he really had an issue with NATO or US policies in Ukraine why would he attack them instead of inform them?

By the way, the way the Ukrainian people decide to govern themselves is not up to Russia.

Propaganda is powerful when you don't know where all the chips lay. I know what you're saying but I'm not proving his point.

The reason Russians think Putin is the good guy is because of state-controlled media in Russia, the reason the West (not just the US) knows he's bad is because of his actions. If it were a level playing field it would be harder to tell, but it's not.

If I delete my points I've effectively removed the necessity of you citing sources, which is what you're trying to do. I will not remove my comments and if you don't cite sources that just means you don't have citations. If you've got them let's see them, otherwise you're wasting my time.

You're still ignoring the debate by focusing on me not deleting my comment. Misdirection.

You're saying you'll cite your sources only if I promise to delete my comments, that's ridiculous. To me that means that you have no citations, so removing my comment would be the safest way to displace the tough reality you don't want to confront. Me not promising is not conceding, it's knowing you don't have a supporting argument.

I'll delete my comments if you promise never to procreate, how's that?

Okay, I will provide you with sources if you promise me to delete your comments and never enter any conversation about politics ever again after I have done so.

Hahahahaha. Can't stand the heat?

Putin's recent actions are reactions towards a substantial threat posed by the US and NATO.

Okay, I'll bite. What threats?

And now that we talk about invading... tell that to Iraq and Afghanistan. Is that supposed to be an argument?

Oh look, misdirection! That's I-don't-have-support 101! I'm not claiming that invasion of Iraq was necessary or good, in fact I think it was against international law, but since you're using it as misdirection and mistakenly assumed my view on it I'll let it slide; it's not supporting your argument anyway.

Once Crimea is annexed it's less than a year before Russian arms and soldiers are showing up on Ukrainian soil.

Notice in the first link how relations between the two nations were working before the impeachment of the pro-Russian president, he's replaced and immediately Russia invades. That's not because of the US.

Notice in the first link how relations between the two nations were working before the impeachment of the pro-Russian president, he's replaced and immediately Russia invades. That's not because of the US.